Corvo Archive is an open archive - All images on this website are protected by copyright and their use is strictly forbidden without consent.
How to archive film?
First of all, it must be verified that the film is in a condition to be stored when it is digitized and archived.
Secondly, the right type of storage must be identified:
• Binder ou Archival Box [PrintFile, ClearFile, ADOX]
• Single Sleves, Page Sleves [PrintFile, ClearFile, ADOX]
After this identification, the most correct storage mode for the file in question must be used. If the file is an individual title photograph file, the following terminology can be used
Photographer name
João Corvo
COJ - first two letters of last name and first letter of first name
Negative Number
000001 - it is recommended to put 0 before the number, in case the file needs to be computerized
Year
20XX
Film type
W - Black and White Negative
C - Color negative
E - Slide
O - Others
Number of the image (negative)
27 - negative number 27
Everything will be - [photographer's name][negative number][year][type of film][image number on negative]
Practical example
COJ0000012025W27 - This black and white negative belongs to João Corvo photographed in 2025 and the first roll, photograph number 27
This will be the case if you store negatives in a binder, if it's in a box you should add a B to the numbering - COJB0000012025W27 - This numbering will be independent of the folder. If a contact test is made, the numbering should be used as follows - COJ0000012025W - without adding the number of the negative. The film must be cut to fit the best possible shape according to the material you want to use for your archive.
Gloves:
- Cotton (available in pharmacies)
- Microfiber (B.I.G. Microfiber Gloves) - ideal for lenses and glass material, suitable for handling on scanner glass
- Anti-static (Kaiser Kinetronics) - suitable for any situation
To clean film emulsion - Photosol PEC-12
LINKS TO BUY
https://www.fotoimpex.com/
Films, General equipment
https://www.macodirect.de/
Films, General equipment
https://www.retrocamera.be/en
Films, General equipment
https://www.preservationequipment.com/
Archive - UK
https://tienda.arteymemoria.com/es/
Archive
https://www.valoi.co/
Scanning Film
https://www.digitfoto.pt/
Films, General equipment and Scanners
https://www.novoflex.de/en/
Scanning suports
https://www.archivalmethods.com/
Archival - USA
Camera Scanning coming soon.....
Scannin film with EPSON V Perfections Scanners
The first thing we're going to review is the digitization methodPART 1
The first step is to make the appropriate file of the photographic film, if available using Print File sleves.
T he second step is to make a contact test of the photographic film. This can be done with a cell phone on a light table, in the laboratory in black and white (the best option if you don't have access to a digital camera) or photographed with a digital camera.
The third step is to make a selection of the photographs in the contact test. If you wish, you can scan the contact test taken in the laboratory, which has sufficient definition to be viewed on the computer without assistance.
The fourth step is to digitize the desired frames on photographic film. It is crucial to adapt the output of the scanner or digitization method to the desired image, due to the processing time involved.
PART 2
Secondly, the digital capture of contact sheets or photographs selected for scanning requires a fixed and coherent organization.
I suggest using the scheme presented in the previous lesson
Photographer name
João Corvo
COJ - first two letters of last name and first letter of first name
Negative Number
000001 - it is recommended to put 0 before the number, in case the file needs to be computerized
Year
20XX
Film type
W - Black and White Negative
C - Color negative
E - Slide
O - Others
Number of the image (negative)
27 - negative number 27
Everything will be - [photographer's name][negative number][year][type of film][image number on negative]
Practical example
COJ0000012025W27 - This black and white negative belongs to João Corvo photographed in 2025 and the first roll, photograph number 27
This will be the case if you store negatives in a binder, if it's in a box you should add a B to the numbering - COJB0000012025W27 - This numbering will be independent of the folder. If a contact test is made, the numbering should be used as follows - COJ0000012025W - without adding the number of the negative.
This could be in the following folder directory
Archive - General folder containing the entire archive
000001 - film number
01-36 - photo number
The idea is to attach metadata to the digital files and classify them as appropriate. Secondly, we will apply keywords and descriptions to the folders and photographs.
PART 3
The last step in the workflow process will be to create working files, which will be used to print negatives and publish them on the website (social networks).
Open the photos in your preferred software (Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, Capture One, GIMP, Affinty Photo
- Black and White - Workflow de Photoshop / Affinity Photo / GIMP
- Invert the negative
- Levels layer
- Curves
- layer in black and white
- C-41 - Workflow de Photoshop (Affinity Photo / GIMP - não testado)
- Invert the negative
- open a curves layer and adjust the black point in the image and the white point, with the gray dropper adjust the white balance in the color negative
- This workflow is valid for Adobe Lightroom if the Negative LAB Pro plugin is not available.
- E-6 Slides - Workflow valid for all software
-
Remove some dominant color
-
Ajust the exp
If the image presents with a color cast
Export TIFF - Adobe RGB
Export JPEG - sRGB
Export JPEG - 1200PX web - sRGB
Adobe Photoshop - great for removing scratches or impurities, and in general the software with the most editing power (slow editing)
Adobe Photoshop + Adobe Bridge - These two work to provide a file organization suite, and RAW camera image editing
Adobe Lightroom - Compact and easy-to-understand image editing suite, also contains a file manager and renaming, but without the Negative Lab Pro plugin, it is limited in terms of editing color negatives.
Capture One - the best option for those who want to scan negatives in series with a camera, it allows you to auto crop and auto adjust editing as soon as you capture the image, for refined color editing you have to use photoshop or lightroom.
Affinity Photo / GIMP - Image editing software, does everything others do but has less up-to-date editing engines and tools.
Adobe Bridge - Free software for organizing images and files.
Advance Users large archives Museum Archive Sowftare
Website can be another way of organizing the archive and keeping it accessible at all times